Expedite harvesting crops along IB, LoC
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 26: Amidst escalating tension between the India and Pakistan after Pahalgam terrorists’ attack, the border villagers on the instructions of security agencies have launched work to clean bunkers along the borders and also expedited harvesting of their crops in the fields closer to the International Border and the Line of Control in the Jammu and Kashmir.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
While living under the shadow of rising Indo-Pak tension, the villagers residing closer to the IB and the LoC, in Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch districts of the Jammu region, are presently filled with a sense of urgency as they have started clearing their underground bunkers. Not only this, they have launched the work of harvesting their crops along the fence and prepare themselves for any potential threat from across the border.
In view of the frequent ceasefire violations and unprovoked firing/shelling by the Pakistani Rangers/Army during the past, the Central Government sanctioned and constructed thousands of underground bunkers during the last 6-7 years, for the protection of border residents from firing by Pakistani troops specially along the LoC. Many bunkers were also built along the International Border where ever required for the border people.
Many Government schools are even situated closer to the Line of Control in Nowshera, Jhangar, Lam, Mendhar, Balakote, Mankote, Jhullas and some areas of Poonch and Mandi . The large underground bunkers have also been built in the school premises as well, for the safety of students and the school staff, situated closer to the Line of Control. As per inputs from the concerned authorities about 17 schools are closer to the LoC in Poonch sector while more than two dozen in Rajouri sector. The school staff has also initiated this exercise involving students.
Reports from Pallanwalla, Khour, Pargwal, Phallain Mandal (Tawi island), Marh, R S Pura, Ramgarh, Londi, Rajpura and Hiranagar areas said that the farmers have been asked by the local security agency officers to expedite harvesting work and finish the exercise in shortest possible time. The border farmers have started even round the clock work at some places where power supply is available.
“Most of the farmers have harvested their crop in border area of Hiranagar and hardly 30 percent farmers are yet to clear their fields closer to the order. This is because they are hiring machines brought from Punjab and by turn, they are getting machines for harvesting and thrashing purpose,” Narinder Singh, a border farmer at Marheen village of Hiranagar said.
“Nobody knows what will happen. We have decided to prepare the underground bunkers so that we can save ourselves in case there is shelling from across the border,” Balvinder Singh, another border villager at Arnia said.
It is pertinent to mention here that India shares a total 3,323-km border with Pakistan, of which 221 km International Border and 744 km of the Line of Control (LoC) falls in Jammu and Kashmir.
India and Pakistan announced the renewed ceasefire along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir in Feb 2021, which came as a major relief to the people living along the IB and the LoC. Both the countries had initially signed a ceasefire agreement in 2003, but Pakistan frequently violated the agreement. The highest 5,000 violations were reported during 2020.
For the protection of border people from Pakistani shelling, the Union Government during 2017 sanctioned the construction of 14,460 individual and community bunkers in five districts of Jammu, Kathua and Samba, covering the villages located along the IB and Poonch and Rajouri villages on the LoC. Later, the government had sanctioned over 4,000 more bunkers for the vulnerable population.
Official sources said that at present there are 1867 bunkers in district Rajouri out of which 133 are community bunkers. Similarly in district Poonch, there are 552 bunkers constrted by R&B and about 200 by RDD authorities. There are 280 community and 262 individual bunkers in Poonch district.
“We want our Government to act decisively against the terrorists and their handlers sitting across the border. We want the elimination of all those who carried out the cold-blooded murder of unarmed and innocent civilians,” Gajay Singh, a social activist at Pargwal in Khour sector said.
Nasir Ahmed, a villager at Khari Karmara said that there are about half a dozen bunkers adjoining his locality. He said since yesterday the villagers are cleaning their bunkers . the village has also two community bunkers and the cleaning work of these two has also been initiated under the supervision of former Sarpanch. He said there is scare among the villagers about the possible war between India and Pakistan. In view of this threat, they have started their preparations. Some elderly people of the area have started advising to collect ration for 2-3 months, he added.
“The situation is turning tense day by day, but we are standing shoulder to shoulder with our soldiers to teach a lesson to Pakistan,” Mohd Ramzan, a resident of Balakote village in Mendhar said.
The borders along the Jammu region have remained peaceful but there have been ceasefire violations along LoC in Kashmir for two nights since Thursday. However, there was no report of any casualty in the cross-border firing.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
